(JASDAQ: 4755), is one of the worlds leading Internet service companies, providing a variety of consumer and business-focused services including e-commerce, travel, banking, securities, credit card, e-money, portal & media, online marketing and professional sports. Kobo is backed by majority shareholder Indigo Books & Music Inc., Cheung Kong Holdings, and institutional investors. Kobo’s innovative Reading Life is an industry-first comprehensive social eReading experience Kobo users can earn awards simply for time spent reading and encouraging others. Kobo eReaders, including the Kobo Touch and the newly launched Kobo Vox are available at leading retailers, including Indigo, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Future Shop, WHSmith, FNAC, Collins Booksellers and Whitcoulls. Kobo has top ranked eReading applications for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows and MacOS, and is the eReading application of choice for leading tablet OEMs. Read Freely – Kobo believes consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device and has attracted millions of readers from over 100 countries across the globe. (Kobo is a global eReading service with more than 2.5 million eBooks, magazines and newspapers one of the largest eReading catalogues in the world. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Canadian regulatory authorities in accordance with the Investment Canada Act and is expected to close in Q1 2012.Ībout Kobo Inc. *Sources: Based on forecasts by IDC, Yankee, BCG analysis & NRI for Japan 1USD= 80JPY The global content market size is also expected to grow dramatically to reach approximately US$10.6 billion per year by 2015 (estimates exclude China). The global eBook market is one of the fastest growing segments of the consumer technology industry, with a compound annual growth rate of 36% through 2015*. Upon closing the acquisition, Kobo will continue to maintain its headquarters, management team and employees based in Toronto, Ontario. This transaction will greatly strengthen our position in our current markets and allow us to diversify quickly into other countries and e-commerce categories. Rakuten is already one of the worlds largest e-commerce platforms, while Kobo is the most social eBook service on the market and one of the worlds largest eBook stores with over 2.5 million titles. We share a common vision of creating a content experience that is both global and social. ∿rom a business and cultural perspective this is a perfect match, commented Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis. Kobo provides one of the worlds most communal eBook reading experiences with its innovative integration of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter while Rakuten offers Kobo unparalleled opportunities to extend its reach through some of the worlds largest regional e-commerce companies, including Buy.com in the US, Tradoria in Germany, Rakuten Brazil, Rakuten Taiwan, Lekutian in China, TARAD in Thailand, and Rakuten Belanja Online in Indonesia, and of course, Rakuten Ichiba in Japan. Hiroshi Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten, commented on the acquisition, We are very excited about this next step. ![]() The acquisition marks a major step forward for Rakuten, one of the worlds top 3 e-commerce companies by revenue, as it continues to expand its unique B2B2C borderless e-commerce business globally, by adding an ecosystem to provide downloadable media products to consumers, starting with eBooks. Since that time, Kobo has become a fierce competitor in the eBook marketplace, with a family of innovative eReaders, a wide range of eReading apps, one of the largest eBook catalogues, an innovative social platform and retail partners around the globe. Kobo was founded by and spun out of Indigo, the largest book, gift and specialty toy retailer in Canada, in December, 2009. today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Rakuten intends to acquire 100% of total issued and outstanding shares of Kobo for US$315 million in cash. TOKYO and TORONTO, November 8/9, 2011 - Rakuten, Inc. Nov 07 – Edition Rakuten to Acquire Kobo Books
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